Posted in Whathaveyou on April 3rd, 2019 by JJ Koczan
Steady progress continues on director Tim Granda‘s animated feature, The Planet of Doom. With an expected 2020 release date, the film has added Sweden’s Domkraft to its already impressive array of contributors. The trio join the ranks of Ufomammut, Space Witch, Wo Fat, Mos Generator, Slomatics, Vokonis and others, and do so on the heels of being confirmed for a PostWax release as part of Blues Funeral Recordings‘ subscription vinyl service, and their 2018 sophomore outing, Flood (review here), which found them broadening their sound in a way that sought not so much to bridge the gap between psychedelia and heavy noise rock as smash the imaginary wall that might otherwise divide those styles.
Also, smash a bunch of other stuff. Lots of smashing. Smashy smashy.
No confirmation yet from The Planet of Doom as regards the artist with whom they’ll be paired — each chapter of the movie has a different band and artist; because if you’re going to do something, make it a logistical nightmare — but I’ll keep an ear out and let you know what/if/when I hear. Until then, their participation was announced thusly:
We’re stoked to announce that the band Domkraft has joined us on our trip to The Planet of Doom!
The Swedish trio whose name combines the Swedish “DOM” for judgement and “KRAFT” for power, blasts forth towering dirges of annihilating doom, mindbending psychedelia, and hypnotic minimalism.
Wielding a soundscape of obeliskian riff-majesty, DOMKRAFT discharge layer upon layer of crushing fury, weaving through the wormhole punctures of spacetime in defiance of beginnings and endings.
From Loop to Sleep, Sabbath to Neu!, Hawkwind to Neurosis, and Swans to Spacemen 3, the DOMKRAFT sound is an unsettling mix of grinding riffs, blistering power, and inexorable motion.
Domkraft is: Martin Widholm – Guitar Martin Wegeland – Bass & Vocals Anders Dahlgren – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 9th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Last summer, when I interviewed animator/director Tim Granda — who along with artist David Paul Seymour is one of the two main forces behind the much-awaited The Planet of Doom animated feature; think Heavy Metal for heavy rockers — he seemed to hint that it would likely be 2019 before the project was completed. It seems work has been proceeding apace, and the latest band/artist pairing to join the crowded fray are Italian cosmic doomers Ufomammut and artist Wonkytiger. I have to admit I’m somewhat surprised Ufomammut‘s own graphic arts/design incarnation, Malleus didn’t take on the project, but with their upcoming tour dates in Europe and North America, it looks like they’ll be plenty busy as they continue to support last year’s crushing 8 (review here), which was released by Neurot Recordings.
Whatever the situation there, one continues to look forward to the outcome of The Planet of Doom, the lists of artists and bands you can see in the images below — both are formidable — along with the Ufomammut announcement and their tour dates, in case you missed them when they went up the other day.
Dig:
We’re stoked to announce that the band UFOMAMMUT has joined us on our trip to THE PLANET OF DOOM! They’ll be teamed up with artist Ian Bederman (aka Wonkytiger) on a journey that’s soaked in blood!
Ufomammut is a power trio formed in Italy in 1999 by Poia, Urlo and Vita, a lineup that has remained stable since. The trio have developed a sound characterised by lengthy songs centered on repeated heavy riffs coupled with droning vocals and the use of sound effects and synths.
Their status as one of the most potent, powerful and artistic contemporary doom artists in existence continues to captivate the masses, and the band’s worldwide grasp grows wider with each release. Their live show is supported by the internationally acclaimed video and graphic art of Malleus, a rock artists’ collective of which Poia and Urlo form a part, who conjure the entirety of Ufomammut’s visual impact.
Ufomammut will be on the road starting from the end of this month, visiting countries like Croazia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Austria. They’ll also be back touring across the USA this May/June 2018 with the band White Hills.
UFOMAMMUT Tour Dates: 3/22/2018 PMK – Innsbruck, AU 3/23/2018 Universum – Stuttgart, DE 3/24/2018 Rockhouse – Salzburg, AU 3/26/2018 Arena – Wien, AU 3/27/2018 KSET – Zagreb, HR 3/28/2018 A38 – Budapest, HU 3/29/2018 Flying Circus – Cluj-Napoca, RO 3/30/2018 Reflector – Timisoara, RO 3/31/2018 Fabrica Club – Bucharest, RO 4/01/2018 Mixtape – Sofia, BG 4/03/2018 Fuzz Club – Athens, GR 4/05/2018 Scumm – Pescara, IT 4/06/2018 Alchemica – Bologna, IT w/ White Hills: 5/23/2018 Alchemy – Providence, RI 5/24/2018 Ram’s Head Live – Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Death Fest* 5/25/2018 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY 5/26/2018 Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA 5/27/2018 Reggies – Chicago, IL 5/29/2018 Lookout Lounge- Omaha, NE 5/30/2018 Hi-Dive – Denver, CO 6/01/2018 Neurolux – Boise, ID 6/02/2018 Barboza – Seattle, WA @ Northwest Terror Fest 6/03/2018 Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR w/ Usnea 6/05/2018 Elbo Room – San Francisco, CA 6/06/2018 Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA 6/07/2018 Hi-Hat – Los Angeles, CA 6/08/2018 Club Red – Phoenix, AZ 6/09/2018 Sister – Albuquerque, NM 6/11/2018 The Lost Well – Austin, TX 6/13/2018 Growlers – Memphis, TN 6/14/2018 Pilot Light – Knoxville, TN 6/15/2018 529 – Atlanta, GA 6/16/2018 Kings – Raleigh, NC 6/18/2018 Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA 6/21/2018 Sled Island Festival – Calgary, AB 7/13/2018 Stoned from the Underground – Erfurt, DE 8/10/2018 Sonic Blast Fest – Moledo, PT 8/11/2018 Alcatraz Festival – Kortrijk, BE
The title The Planet of Doom has been tossed around for the last eight months or so as artists Tim Granda and David Paul Seymour assembled the team that would bring their story to life. Today the real process of completing the animated film for its stated 2017 release date really begins, with the premiere of the first trailer and the launch tomorrow of a Kickstarter to help fund the remainder of the project.
One need only to look at the roster of bands — The Well, Goya, Mos Generator, Summoner, and so on — to know this is a project made with a strong love of music in mind. I’ve only seen the trailer, but it’s plain to see the inheritance from a landmark blend of heavy music and animation like 1981’s Heavy Metal, and the elements of fantasy, beard-clad motorcycle warriors, bizarre (and mostly unclothed) Amazonian-type tribes, and of course a fair heaping of monsters, not only bring these ideas to a new generation of fans, but push those boundaries further with the scope of the project itself.
That said, I could gush and go on and on about the admirable undertaking that is bringing so many artists and bands together for one special project, never mind the distribution at film festivals and three-band package tour (will be very interested to see who winds up on that) to come, but this isn’t a time for a review. You’re better off watching the trailer itself — you’ll notice the Mos Generator right away — getting the details and grabbing the Kickstarter link so that when they open it up tomorrow, Monday, April 11, for contributions, you’re ready to go.
Trailer and info follow, with thanks to Seymour and Granda for letting me host the premiere.
Enjoy:
The Planet of Doom official trailer
Riff Lodge Animation has launched the full-length trailer and Kickstarter campaign for its highly anticipated animated tale of metal and art, “The Planet of Doom.”
The creative duo of Art Director/Writer David Paul Seymour and Director/Animator Tim Granda—the team behind the heavily buzzed-about music video for Conan’s “Throne of Fire” (watch it here)—now offer a full-length animated tale set to 14 of the heaviest new stoner-rock and doom-metal tunes this side of Valhalla.
“‘The Planet of Doom’ is very much in the spirit of music/animated films like ‘Heavy Metal’ and the works of Ralph Bakshi,” said Granda.
Added Seymour, “It’s a tribute to heavy music and the art that accompanies that type of music. With this film, we’re seeking to encapsulate the music and art community that Tim and I are a proud part of with one epic body of work. We are also naturally bringing in all sorts of fringe countercultures who’ve attached to this same community—bikers, skateboarders, comic book and sci-fi fantasy fans. It’s a really vibrant and diversified community and we’ve certainly brought in the right ambassadors to represent it properly.”
“The Planet of Doom” contains no spoken dialogue, opting instead to regale the revenge tale of hero Halvar through the lyrics of the film’s original music. The story unwinds across 14 song-chapters, each interpreted by a different artist-and-band team, including Orchid, Conan, Phillip Cope, Wo Fat, Mos Generator, Slow Season and The Well, paired with artists like Skinner, Vance Kelly, Jason Cruz, Alexis Ziritt, Adam Burke, David Paul Seymour and legendary tattoo artist Forrest Cavacco.
The Bands Orchid Phillip Cope (Kylesa) Conan Mos Generator Wo Fat Slow Season Scorpion Child Summoner The Well Order of the Owl Mother Crone Destroyer of Light Goya Ironweed
The Artists Skinner David Paul Seymour Vance Kelly Jason Cruz Alexis Ziritt Adam Burke Maarten Donders Tony Papesh Scott Trerrotola Simon Berndt Burney Gorgeous George Brian Profilio Nicholas Coleman Tim Granda
Every fan of the project can now be a part of “The Helping Hands of Doom” fundraising campaign, which began last March when it raised more than $20,000 in support from company sponsorships. Through the film’s Kickstarter campaign, which launched today, fans can show their love by helping get this worthwhile film underway, while getting some prized goodies in the process—everything from an HHOD official shirt up to having yourself featured in the film as an animated “extra” and more! Fans and supporters can donate to the film atwww.theplanetofdoom.com.
“The Planet of Doom” will screen at major music and film festival events, as well as on a cross-country package tour with three of the film bands once production is completed.
Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 4th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
The new Conan video was created by Riff Lodge Animation. I mention it because it kicks ass. With art by the ubiquitous David Paul Seymour and animation by Tim Granda, the clip for “Throne of Fire” resounds as a labor of love for heavy in much the same way as Conan‘s sound itself. The track is taken from the trio’s latest offering, Revengeance (review here), which is out now, and is among the more stampeding of the album’s material its ultra-thick roll pushed forward with momentum that only increases as it heads toward its finish, drummer Rich Lewis crashing and bashing along the way as bassist/engineer Chris Fielding and guitarist Jon Davis trade roars and shouts that cut through the tonal mire.
Based in the UK, Conan will kick off a US tour with Serial Hawk next month in support of the new album, and it will be their second time in North America behind a run last year supporting 2014’s Blood Eagle (review here), which was recorded with a different lineup. As the interplay between Davis and Fielding is so essential to what makes Revengeance as brutal across the board as it is, it seems fair to imagine the three-piece will be well at home in the new songs as they bring them over for the first stretch since the record came out. Not that they didn’t kill it last time they toured the US, but having an audience that knows what’s coming when “Throne of Fire” hits is bound to make a difference, and if you’d like to prepare yourself for such an eventuality, the video, as noted, kicks ass.
Tour dates follow the clip, but I’ve also reposted a note from Riff Lodge Animation, who have a film project titled The Planet of Doom in the works that they’re going to have a Kickstarter going for later this year. You might want to check that out. Again, the video is a good example of why.
Enjoy:
Conan, “Throne of Fire” official video
RIFF LODGE ANIMATION, the team behind “The Planet of DOOM”, is stoked to reveal the “Throne of Fire” music video we created for CONAN! It was written and illustrated by David Paul Seymour and directed / animated by Tim Granda (Doom Cycle).
If you’ve been curious as to what the forthcoming “The Planet of DOOM” movie will look and smell like, this is for you!
While we were in production with this video, several of the bands and artists have been collaborating and turning in work. We are thrilled with the results!
In April, we’ll be releasing our full-length movie trailer to kick off our KICKSTARTER campaign. It will feature music by Mos Generator and art by The Art Of Skinner, Vance Kelly, David Paul Seymour, Brian Profilio, Jason Cruz and many more.
This trailer will mark the start of our KICKSTARTER campaign, and we’re going to need all your help when that time comes so start sharing this info with all your friends NOW.
CONAN W/Serial Hawk: 3/3: Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen 3/4: Detroit, MI @ Berserker Fest 3/5: Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck 3/6: Cleveland, OH @ Now That’s Class 3/8: Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus 3/9: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie 3/10: Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar 3/11: Raleigh, NC @ King’s 3/12: Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light 3/13: Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn 3/16: Austin, TX @ SXSW 3/18: Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Tavern (Free Show) 3/19: Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge 3/20: Glendale, CA @ Complex 3/21: Oakland, CA @ Metro 3/22: Sacramento, CA @ Press Club 3/24: Portland, OR @ Star Theater 3/25: Boise, ID @ Treefort Fest 3/26: Seattle, WA @ Highline w/ Bell Witch, Mitochondiran
